The evolution of the dialogue between Russian and Italian Сinema

Abstract

The article deals with the issues of cultural interaction between Russia and Italy in the sphere of cinematography. Cultural dialogue between Russian and Italian cinema can be viewed from different angles. The first level is intercultural communication as a tool of communicational system, the second is cultural interaction as a process of cultural practices of the two countries, and the third level is cultural diplomacy where intercultural interaction with its various forms of communication and contacts is regarded as the implementation of soft power. Based on academic research and Pavel Parshin’s theory, the following main tools of soft power can be named: mutual attraction, steady positive attitude, and permanent exchange of cultural experience. Thus cultural interaction is both the search for artistic unity and the embodiment of the dynamics of cultural dialogue analyzed through the chronotope theory of Mikhail Bakhtin within big and small time. It should be mentioned that it was M. Bakhtin who introduced the concept of dialogical nature of culture and the term of cultural dialogue. This approach makes it possible to follow the evolution of cultural dialogue between Russia and Italy over the years and define and characterize the types and stages of cultural dialogue between Russia and Italy within a broad system of cultural diplomatic relations between the countries. This paper analyses specificity of the following stages: the stage of indirect dialogue; the stage of adoption of cultural practices; the stage of suspended and re-established dialogue; the stage of activization of cultural dialogue; the stage of cultural intercourse in the era of globalization and digitalization; the modern pre-pandemic stage of cultural dialogue between Russia and Italy. The research is based on a wide range of scientific papers, data from international documents, memoirs of Russian and Italian film people as well as Russian-Italian co-production.